1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data communication techniques in a system where an image pickup device and a printer are connected and a system where the image pickup device and an information processing apparatus are connected.
2. Description of the Related Art
With proliferation of image pickup devices, such as digital cameras, the variety of service for users of image pickup devices has increased. For example, if a user of an image pickup device accesses a Web server using a personal computer (PC) and registers his/her digital camera with the Web server, then he or she can receive various kinds of services. A user of a printer also can receive service by registering his/her printer with a Web server.
A system that directly connects an image pickup device and a printer and executes printing is widely used (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-155240). The user of the printer can receive a variety of services by registering the printer with the Web server. However, a printer that has a primary use of printing information while directly connecting to an image pickup device, like the printer described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-155240, has no occasion to directly connect to a PC. Thus, the user may forget to register the printer with a Web server through operation on the PC and miss an opportunity to receive service.
A printer having a primary use of printing information while directly connecting to an image pickup device cannot notify a Web server of the status of the printer. It is difficult for the user to receive Web service in response to the status of the printer.